05 September 2017

Five boys orphaned after parents die of same cancer

Tributes have been pouring in for the couple and the five boys they left behind.

Their parents met when they were teenagers at school in
London, they wed in 2004 and moved to Birmingham where they started a family.
Five boys later their family was complete – and then the unthinkable happened.

First Makeda (38) developed bowel cancer and had
extensive surgery – but the disease had spread. Then her husband, Omena, was
diagnosed with bowel cancer too.

Both fought the disease for three years but Makeda lost
her battle last week. And then on 4 September, a day before his wife’s funeral,
Omena passed away too, leaving their sons orphaned.

Weeks before his death, Omena was
determined to raise money for his children, aged between seven and 19.

In a heartbreaking
video posted on YouTube in
August, the emotional and bed-ridden dad thanked everyone for supporting him
and his family through the tough times.

“Myself and my five boys, we’ve just lost my wife,
they’ve lost a mother, and they’ve lost their best friend as well,” Omena said.
“I know at times people say ‘be strong, be strong, be strong’, but sometimes,
guys, it’s tough.”

Shortly before his passing his best friend, Femi Lloyd,
said Omena wasn’t processing his wife’s death fully but was determined to stay
alive for his kids.

Tragically, it was not to be. Charles Busari, a family
friend, posted the sad news about Omena’s death on the GoFundMe page.

“It breaks my heart to report that sadly our dear brother
Omena lost his fight to cancer in the early hours of Monday 4th September 2017.”

Tributes have been pouring in for the couple and the five
boys they left behind.

“May God comfort your children, may they be pleased in
the fact that they had amazing parents even for such a short time,” one person
posted. “May they be comforted and honour your legacy as the years progress.”

“Omena, we bonded over diet and fitness. You fought so
very hard. No more pain. May you and your dear wife Makeda rest in perfect
peace,” another wrote.

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